Lutra 51(2)_Editorial_2008

The shoulders of giants

“If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants”, Isaac Newton once wrote. The findings and observations of our colleagues and predecessors can inspire us, spark a new idea, or form the basis for new theories or hypotheses. Using the work of others to design new methods or integrate previous findings to reach new conclusions has always been, and still is, common practice in science. For example, Brugge’s article on mustelid diets in the Netherlands, published in Lutra 19 in 1977, helped other scientists understand the differences in PCB loads between different mustelid species (Leonards et al. 1998) and thereby comprehend how mustelids coexist (Powell & Zielinksi 1983). In the current issue, Oerlemans and Koene review earlier studies on raccoon dogs from the US, Japan and European countries to identify potential issues of concern for nature conservation and public health in the Netherlands. Earlier articles using photography and stereo photogrammetry to determine the heights at which trawling bats fly inspired Van De Sijpe to develop a method....